Marketplace All-in-One Small businesses walk an affordability tightrope
Dec 5, 2025
Join David Gura, a senior business journalist at Bloomberg, and Catherine Rampell, an expert on economic policy, as they unpack the current affordability crisis for small businesses. Justin Ho shares firsthand stories from small business owners navigating rising costs while trying to keep prices stable. Samantha Fields discusses the possible implications of the Netflix-Warner deal, warning of reduced content variety. Together, they explore consumer sentiment, economic headlines, and the challenges of balancing profitability and accessibility.
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Lagging Data Handicaps Fed Decision Making
- September PCE is a moderate advance but the data are old and lag due to the government shutdown.
- Policymakers face a handicap because Fed meetings lack the usual timely dashboard of statistics.
Sentiment Is Low Despite Ongoing Consumer Spending
- Consumers report persistent dour sentiment even while spending remains relatively steady.
- Holiday spending intentions have been revised down this year by the largest margin on record, signaling softer demand ahead.
Risk Of Politicized Fed: Hotter Short-Term Policy
- Politicizing the Fed risks short-term stimulus that worsens long-term inflation, per historical and academic evidence.
- Reduced central bank independence tends to produce poorer inflation outcomes over time.